Charles Henry "Hank" Rosenthal was born in Hoboken, New Jersey in 1930. He graduated from Kerwin High School in Galveston, Texas, in 1950. Rosenthal attended Sam Houston University, studying journalism and sociology, and served in the U. S. Marine Corps during the Korean War. He worked for Amoco and Humble (later Exxon) oil companies, which brought him to Anchorage, Alaska, as the press officer on the icebreaker S. S. Manhattan. In February 1969, he was aboard the Manhattan when it successfully completed its experimental attempt to break through the midwinter ice of the Northwest Passage. After an assignment with Exxon in Florida, Rosenthal became the editor and assistant publisher of Alaska Northwest Publishing, working on such publications as Alaska Magazine, the Milepost, and Alaska Geographic. In 1980, he returned to public affairs work for ARCO. Rosenthal also served on the Alaska Equal Rights Commission and was a board member of Anchorage's municipal library advisory board, Visual Arts Center, and Covenant House. Charles Henry Rosenthal died in Prague in 2003.

The collection consists of the papers, photographs, article and lighter of Charles Henry Rosenthal, primarily relating to the oil tanker S. S. Manhattan. The collection contains: an illustrated certificate proclaiming Rosenthal as a brother in the Royal Arctic Order, Knights of the Blue Noses, for participation in the S. S. Manhattan's maiden Northwest Passage voyage (Sep. 1, 1969); Rosenthal's U. S. Coast Guard certificate of discharge to merchant seamen as a scientific observer on the Manhattan (Nov. 12, 1969); a black and white print of Bram Mookhoek, Rosenthal, and Stan Haas going over the location of the Manhattan while stuck in Melville Sound; an oversize color print of the S. S. Manhattan breaking through the ice; a copy of Alaska Geographic magazine (Vol. 1, No. 1, 1972) containing the article, "The Cruise of the Manhattan," by Merritt R. Helfferick; a Zippo lighter for "Humble's Maiden Northwest Passage Voyage, S. S. Manhattan 1969"; a press release (Jan. 22, 2002), Military Sealift Command Association Retirees Hq. Florida newsletter (Mar. 2002), William J. Tobin Voice of the Times article (Mar. 17, 2002), and three letters to Rosenthal and wife Heather Flynn from Alfred Mongin concerning the induction of the S. S. Manhattan into the National Maritime Hall of Fame in January 2002 (2002-2003); and Rosenthal's memorial program from his funeral (Nov. 4, 2003).

The collection was presented to the archives by Heather Flynn in 2005. A deed of gift was signed in 2005.